Winding-up and hand-setting mechanism in watches



Feb. 9, 1926.

H. coLoMB WINDING UP AND HAND SETTING MECHANISM IN WATCHES Filed Dec. 23, 1924 Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

RENE: COLOMB, or TAVANNES, SWITZERLAND.

WINDING-UP AND HAND-SETTING MECHANISM IN WATCHES.

Application filed December 23, 1924. Serial in. 757,707.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, :HENRI COLOMB, citi en of Switzerland, residing at Pension Economique Building, Tavannes, Canton of llcrnc, Switzerland, have invented certain "w and us fill im rovements in Winding- '3 and iiitiltl netting ldechanisms in atches, of TVdlCll the tollowing is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in winding and setting mechanism for watches.

Here'tofore two kinds of winding and hand setti mechanisms operated by the stem were known. They were called positive if the rocking lever forming part of the mechanism was moved to setting position by hand and negative if the rocking lever was moved to setting position by means of a pring. The last named arrangement is preferred in the United States of America-1,

because by its use it is possible to make the windin stem in two )arts which move togethcr when winding, and the outer one of which moves independently of the inner one during setting. The inner section of the stem in this type forms part of the watch movement, while the outer section is connected to the casing, so that the two pieces, movement and easing may be transported and sold separately.

Up to the present time, for each type of wind and hand setting mechanism, two

forms had to he created by the manufacturer, one form for each kind, and therefore two types of rough movements were necessary having plates with differently arra iged holes :ror pivots and lining screws, etc, which varied not only in numher but also shape.

The primary object of the present invention is to simplify the manufacturing of watches of the two types and this is accomplished by using identical parts for each type of winding and setting mechanism, with the holes for the pivots and fixing screws identically arranged in both types, the only diderence being that springs of different shapes must be employed for the two types of mechanism. However, ven for these differently shaped springs, the holes for the fixing screws are identically {1P1 ranged in both movement plates.

The invention is illustrated in the ElCLOlD- panying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View of a winding and setting mechanism;

positive and Figure 2 is a similar view of a negative wimhng and setting mechanism.

Referring to both views it will he noted that the watch movement plates are the same in l'ioth types and each plate ias a counter-sinker or cav'ty m to house a certain of the mechanism. ll hen the plate is int: nfactured, it will he provided with the necessary holes for the pivot pins, screws, etc, and it is to he noted that these holes will be arranged the same for both types of watches. a designates a slidahle sleeve ar ranged on the stem and provided at its inner end with contrate teeth to ei'igage the setting gear (5 and provided at its opposite end with clutch teeth to engage similar cloth teeth on the winding gear (Z. The sleeve a has circumferential groove eni 'ed by the rocking lever c which is ivlily HlOUDtO-i at c. This lever engaged try a leaf spring 6 which normally tends to push the lover outwardly so that the clutch teeth of tl sleeve a. will engage the clutch teeth of ti winding sleeve The lover s may he moved in the opposite direction hyv a double armed lever e pivotally mounted at f. Th s double armed lever is provided at opposite ends with projecting pins ii and h.

llefe'ring now to Figure 1, which illus l'es the positive type, it may l) seen that a spring 2' is connected to the movement plate by screws .12 and the free arm of this spring has two notches to engage the pin 11 the lever c. In this type the winding 9 is noru'ially in its inner position as shown in Figure l and with the parts in this position the spring 6 causes the lever c to hold the clutch teeth of the sleeve in engagement with the clutch teeth of the winding gear (Z, so that each time the stem is tur. ed the watch spring will be wound. il lien the watch is to be set, the stem is pulled outwardly in the direction of the arrow and as the stem is connected to the lever c, this lever will be turned in a clockwise di. 'ect-ion to move the pin 72 from the first notch in the end 1 f the spring to the second notch in said spring. At the same time the lower end of the lever 6 will ride on the free end of the lever 0 and move this lever in a clockwise direction against the force of the spring and cause the contrate teeth of the sleeve (1 to engage the setting gear d. Then when the stem 9 is turned the hands of the watch will be set.

As before stated, the mechanism in Fig. 2 is exactly the same as that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that a spring 70 of slightly different form is used instead 01' the spring The spring is is secured in position by screws 93 which will occupy holes arranged exactly the same as in- Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 the watch stem is made of two parts, the inner one 9 only being shown in the drawing. Stems of this character are well known and the outer section of the stem normally functions to hole the lever e in the l o1 iti0n shown in Fig. 1, that is, with the end of the spring 70 bearing against the pin it and tending to move the lever e in a clock wise direction. lVhen, however, the outer end of the stem is moved outwardly the lever e is released so that the spring A: swings the lever in a clockwise direction and causes the lever 0 to move into the posi tion shown in Figure 2 and thus bring the sleeve a into position to set the watch.

From the foregoing it may be seen that a watch movement may be made up to form either a positive or negative type and the hand setting and winding mechanism may be provided for either type by simply adding the proper spring 2' or Is.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

In a watch winding and setting mechanism, a movement plate, a double armed lever pivotally mounted on said plate and provided at its opposite ends with projecting pins, and means connected to said plate for attaching a spring to the latter to engage either one of said pins, for either a positive or negative type of winding and setting mechanism.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

HENRI COLOMB. 

